The Paulus Bridge is a national monumental arch bridge in the centre of the Dutch city of Utrecht. The bridge spans the Nieuwegracht canal and has a single span. Adjacent to the bridge are wharfs, a stone wharf staircase and wharf cellars. The Paulus Bridge is one of the oldest bridges over this late-14th-century canal. It takes its name from the nearby Paulus Abbey, which in turn was named after the apostle Paulus.
The Nieuwegracht is one of the best-known canals in the city centre of the Dutch city of Utrecht. It is also the name for the two streets on either side of this canal. It is characterised by many monumental canal houses, wharf cellars, yards with trees, and bridges.
As the name suggests, the Nieuwegracht is newer than the Oudegracht, the most famous canal in Utrecht. Together with Kromme Nieuwegracht, Drift and Plompetorengracht, the canal was realised between 1390 and 1393 through a sparsely built-up area within the city walls, probably to improve the drainage of the area in preparation for building construction.
Like the Oudegracht, the Nieuwegracht has the wharves and wharf cellars typical of Utrecht almost along its entire length. Only the eastern side of the southernmost stretch, next to Servaasbolwerk, has no buildings and no wharf wall or wharfs. The works here were probably never fully completed.
I'm Jeroen, and I'll spare you the long introduction. ;) If you're looking for a landscape photo for your wall, you've come to the right place... Read more…